Quote of the Week- Environment

I figured that since I have recently been posting about Scouts and the environment I figured it would be a great idea to share some environment quotes. So here a few quotes:

Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites. ~William Ruckelshaus, Business Week, 18 June 1990

I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend? ~Robert Redford, Yosemite National Park dedication, 1985

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect. ~Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

It is imperative to maintain portions of the wilderness untouched so that a tree will rot where it falls, a waterfall will pour its curve without generating electricity, a trumpeter swan may float on uncontaminated water - and moderns may at least see what their ancestors knew in their nerves and blood. ~Bernand De Voto, Fortune, June 1947

Our environmental problems originate in the hubris of imagining ourselves as the central nervous system or the brain of nature. We're not the brain, we are a cancer on nature. ~Dave Foreman, Harper's, April 1990

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

World Environment Day 2009

For those of you who did not relize World Environment Day occurred on the 5 of June 2009. UNEP gave approximately US$ 100,000 as a grant to the WOSM to help scouts conduct projects for World Environment Day. Here is the full press release listing all the details:

The Boy Scouts of the Philippines have grown their own seedlings that will be planted for World Environment Day.

Scouts plant 65,000 trees with UNEP for World Environment Day

5th June 2009. On World Environment Day, Scouts have again demonstrated their commitment to working together to take positive action for the environment. The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) have partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to encourage Scouts to take action in their local community.

UNEP have provided support to WOSM with a grant of $US100,000 that is being used to plant more than 65,000 trees spread across 10 National Scout Organizations to celebrate World Environment Day. Scouts will plant and continue to nurture these trees so that they can have an ongoing benefit for the environment. Participating countries include Mexico, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, India, Brazil, Hungary, Ethiopia, South Africa and Lebanon.

Under the banner: 'Your Planet Needs You! - UNite to combat climate change', World Environment Day for 2009 is officially being hosted by Mexico, with the Mexican Scouts being involved in a variety of activities to celebrate the day. The Scouts will be planting trees, holding environmental workshops, engaging in discussions with government and other youth organisations to share how to be more proactive with tackling climate change.

More Information:

The UNEP Tunza Youth Magazine for World Environment Day has been launched as a useful resource for young people to share and learn from each other about the environment. It can be downloaded here.
Please share your World Environment Day activities by registering on the World Environment Day website.

Are your Scouts involved in World Environment Day activities? Please share your stories with the World Scout Bureau by emailing Rod Abson.

Scouts in Guyana celebrating World Environment Day 2009

Thanks to all the following countries who helped on this very special Day including:

• Mexico,
  
• the Philippines,
  
• Malaysia, Australia,
  
• India,
  
• Brazil,
  
• Hungary,
  
• Ethiopia,
  
• South Africa
  
• and Lebanon.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Clean Up the World Event Scout Feature

The WOSM or World Organization of the Scouting Movement and the Clean Up the World Organization just announced on the 5th of June that the Scouting Movement world wide was very actively involved in this day in 2008. The CLean up the World organization would also like to mention thatthey are very appreciative of the efforts put in by the Scouts since the ineption of the campaign over 16 years.

The Cleanup the World Organization would also like to encourage all Scouts and National Scout Organizations to pencil in the dates of the 19th and 20th of September of this year into their calenders.

More information on the Annual event can be found at the following link: click here.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08